Will PSG Provide Nasri Escape from Manchester City?

Nasri is one of many expected to exit Manchester City this summerDavid Rogers/Getty Images

The list of players linked with a potential summer move to PSG continues to grow. Manchester City’s Samir Nasri is the latest talent to have his name attached with free spending PSG according to reports from the Daily Mail and other outlets.

Nasri has been the focus of a lot of attention in the last three years. His time at Arsenal was filled with promise and he looked headed in the right direction, but a contract extension squabble led to his much publicized departure to Manchester City.

Despite winning the EPL title with City last season, Nasri has not seemed to be a good fit in the scheme of things. He was recently called out by manager Roberto Mancini about his efforts. These comments have helped fuel the expectation that Nasri’s time in Manchester is coming to an end.

The Daily Mail report claims PSG director Leonardo is an admirer of Nasri. The report claims he has gone as far as trying to make a move for him in 2011. While Leonardo may have been keen on bringing Nasri to Paris at that time, one has to question what value a Nasri deal would have for PSG.

Nasri's skill set and the potential it provides is the reason interest in him is still rather high. Under the right coaching and in the right scheme, he can be a special player. Whether PSG can provide that for him, and if Nasri would take advantage of it is the real question.

PSG is currently well stocked with attacking options that would be direct competition with Nasri for a place on the pitch. While Nasri’s skills are dynamic enough to play centrally, on the wing, or just behind a lone striker, his recent play has not portrayed him as an upgrade for PSG in any position.

Where a move for Nasri makes sense is as a potential replacement for Javier Pastore. Pastore has struggled for most of the season. If he is on his way out this summer, Nasri would be a player who could come in and fill Pastore’s role for PSG. Even in such a scenario, Nasri would still be far from guaranteed a spot in the starting XI.

If PSG is genuinely looking at Nasri then they must not be worried about the negatives he may bring to the table. Nasri’s attitude and effort have been called into question on multiple occasions. How much of this rests squarely on Nasri is debatable. If nothing else, a Nasri/Ibrahimovic relationship could be interesting to watch unfold.

This rumor may be of benefit for Manchester City. Less than a month ago, rumors were swirling about a summer swoop by Monaco for Nasri and Tevez. The seeds of PSG interest could ratchet up the price which would be advantageous to City in terms of monetary return for a player they overpaid for.

PSG will continually be linked to a multitude of players between now and the completion of the summer transfer season. Making sense of the odds of each rumor coming to fruition is difficult as PSG has been full of transfer surprises. At this time I would put Nasri’s chances of wearing Rouge et Bleu next season as low even though the chances of Nasri remaining at City are even lower.